Tuscaloosa woman sentenced for student loan fraud

TUSCALOOSA | A Tuscaloosa woman who fraudulently obtained and spent nearly $20,000 of federal student loan money has been sentenced to serve 32 months in prison.

Staff report

TUSCALOOSA | A Tuscaloosa woman who fraudulently obtained and spent nearly $20,000 of federal student loan money has been sentenced to serve 32 months in prison.Sierra Taylor, 25, posed as a recruiter for Troy University in 2010, according to court documents. She used the names, Social Security numbers and other information of three victims to apply for classes at the school and for federal Pell Grant and Federal Direct Student Loan money.All three victims were accepted to the school and were awarded the assistance. Taylor told victims that they had not submitted paperwork in time to be admitted that semester.According to federal court documents, $3,182 of the federal aid money was directed to Troy to pay tuition and $15,232 was issued to the women in debit cards, intended to be used for education-related expenses. The debit cards were sent to Taylor’s address in Tuscaloosa. Tuscaloosa police officers began an investigation in November 2010 after a victim received a bill statement for one of the loans. Video surveillance from the Tuscaloosa and Northport Walmart stores shows Taylor using the cards to make small purchases, receive cash back and purchase gift cards, according to the court documents. She spent $15,232 between Oct. 8, 2010, and November 2010. Taylor pleaded guilty to mail fraud, aggravated identity theft and education loan fraud in April.U.S. District Judge Virginia Emerson Hopkins sentenced Taylor on Friday to serve two years and eight months in prison, and to repay $18,414 to the government. She was ordered to report to prison on April 4.

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